Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,331 per month in Medina vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,792 per month in Medina vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,254 per month in Medina vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medina is about 19% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medina sits 3% below the global median, while Mexico City is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 SAR 20.53

$12.11 MX$206

-54.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.95 SAR 120

$52.2 MX$887

-38.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 SAR 29.25

$10.90 MX$185

-28.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

Cappuccino

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$4.05 MX$68.8

-35.56%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 SAR 2.91

$1.72 MX$29.13

-54.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$1.38 MX$23.40

-81.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SAR 5.53

$1.85 MX$31.48

-20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 SAR 3.39

$3.22 MX$54.7

-72.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.95

$2.09 MX$35.42

13.88%

Eggs

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.91 MX$49.41

-28.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 SAR 19.52

$12.49 MX$212

-58.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 SAR 26.28

$10.11 MX$172

-30.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 SAR 47.87

$15.89 MX$270

-19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$3.31 MX$56.3

-25.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$2.13 MX$36.12

-11.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.19 MX$37.20

6.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$2.45 MX$41.57

-37.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$2.19 MX$37.18

-36.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.05

$1.90 MX$32.35

-29.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 SAR 3.38

$1.62 MX$27.44

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$1.35 MX$22.92

-45.19%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.46 SAR 28.02

$5.43 MX$92.1

37.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$0.34 MX$5.77

205.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.80 SAR 138

$21.58 MX$366

70.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$2.04 MX$34.65

-33.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$0.58 MX$9.82

191.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 SAR 21.01

$5.97 MX$101

-6.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$1.62 MX$27.44

-62.96%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.2K SAR 154.6K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

80.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.2K SAR 75.8K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-24.29%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$151 SAR 568

$65.2 MX$1,108

131.90%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.95 SAR 105

$29.87 MX$507

-6.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.2 SAR 339

$36.55 MX$621

146.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 SAR 294

$61.0 MX$1,036

28.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.80 SAR 33.06

$26.70 MX$453

-67.04%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 SAR 49.57

$6.85 MX$116

92.70%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$291 SAR 1,091

$453 MX$7,700

-35.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,476 SAR 20.6K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-59.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.44 SAR 141

$75.0 MX$1,273

-50.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 SAR 200

$55.3 MX$939

-3.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 SAR 247

$114 MX$1,929

-42.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 SAR 257

$123 MX$2,083

-44.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 SAR 2,110

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-50.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 SAR 1,968

$712 MX$12.1K

-26.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 SAR 2,826

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-70.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 SAR 2,119

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-56.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,260 SAR 8,487

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-43.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 SAR 4,933

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-37.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,326 SAR 4,980

$1,047 MX$17.8K

26.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

11.3

-63.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medina: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $562 in Medina versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 27% higher in Medina, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Medina versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $345 – making Medina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medina vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 24% more than Medina, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,997 per month in Medina and $2,469 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $291 per month in Medina and $453 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,331, than in Mexico City at $1,646. In Medina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medina costs $1,331 versus $1,646 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.